Save Me
by SilverInk2011
Summary: Casey comes back, but in a different way. As Elliot and Olivia race to solve her rape, Alex goes through absolute hell to try and solve her case.
1. Save Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All stories and characters belong to NBC and Dick Wolf.**

Save Me

Olivia and Elliot rushed into Mercy General on a rainy night. They were just leaving for dinner together when Cragen got a phone call. There was another brutal rape. Elliot and Olivia sighed. They just finished a brutal serial rape case. They asked if it could be handed to another detective, but the victim asked for them personally. Olivia advised Elliot not to say no, despite how tired and annoyed he looked. So, there they were. Two cops on a Saturday night with nothing better to do. "Hi, I'm Detective Stabler and this is my partner, Detective Benson," he said, introducing himself and Olivia, "we're here about a rape."

The receptionist glanced up. "We've been expecting you," she said, "room 208." Olivia nodded in thanks and Elliot strode in exhaustion to the room.

"You okay, El?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he said.

"Okay," she agreed, "then stop acting like you have a stick up your ass."

"I'm not, Liv."

"Yes you are," she said. "You always act like this when you're tired." Elliot ignored her.

When they reached the room, they approached the victim with caution. They knew that victims are sort of jumpy. They never know what to expect, particularly after traumatic cases like these. They saw a woman facing the back wall, a long mane of red hair trailing down her back. She seemed distracted. They could hear sniffling. She was crying. A faint whisper was emitting from her lips. They could barely make out what she was saying. "Hi," said Olivia timidly. "I'm Olivia Benson and this is Elliot Stabler. You made a request for us?" It was at that point she turned around. Olivia gasped and Elliot nearly tripped over a cord. There, right in front of them, sat Casey Novak, their former prosecutor. Olivia inched closer to her old friend. Tears were trickling down her cheeks. She was bruised and battered. Olivia remembered when she was attacked in her office and how much trouble she went to to catch the son-of-a-bitch. To see her looking so frightened again broke Olivia's heart. Elliot's too. He knew Casey longer than Olivia, even though it took longer for him to warm up to her than it took Olivia. Elliot saw past the old, fearless prosecutor and into the eyes and ears of a troubled woman. It was like he was looking into broken glass. Like if you touched her, she would break into a million pieces. "Casey?" asked Olivia bewilderingly.

"Hi Liv," she said through tears with a small smile. She was glad to see the two of them again. She'd always wondered what had happened to them after her disbarment. "Hi Elliot," she said, acknowledging that Elliot was also in the room. Olivia moved to Casey's side and sat down next to her. The look of despair in Casey's eyes was to much for Olivia to take.

"Case?" she asked again, "what happened?"

Casey took a deep breath. She was getting ready to explain the whole thing in detail. Olivia shuddered a little bit. She knew that Casey was ready, but this was a different case. "He attacked me from behind," she said, "I never saw it coming. He hit me over the head a few times and he... he... well- you know the rest."

"He raped you," stated Elliot. Olivia glared at him and he shrugged back. Casey, however, nodded. "Now, you said he attacked you from behind. Did he say anything unusual?"

"He called me a filthy, dirty whore repeatedly," she sobbed. "Said I should die." She looked up, hopefully. "Maybe I could go through a voice line-up?" Olivia nodded her head.

"We have to find the bastard first, Case," she said, "did you forget?" Casey shook her head. She heaved shaky, uncontrollable sobs. Olivia and Elliot looked down at her. The once composed Casey Novak in the DA's office was now the destroyed, vulnerable woman in the room in front of them. "Oh, Case," Olivia breathed trying to apologize, "I'm sorry. That slipped."

"No, Liv, you're right," she sobbed, "it's my fault."

"No it's not," Olivia reassured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "it's anything but your fault. You should know that from working with rape victims for five years." Casey looked into Olivia's eyes. She then leaned into Olivia's shoulder, sobbing into her jacket. Olivia's arm slowly wrapped around her shoulder and her other arm moved forward and around her front. She cradled the crying Casey. "It's okay, Casey. It's okay." Olivia could see Elliot in the distance. His eyes were a little red. "You're crying?" she mouthed to him.

"Shut up!" he mouthed back.

Olivia saw that Elliot was becoming blurry. She felt something wet and hot trickle down her cheek. She had tears too. She couldn't see a victim. She could only see a friend, desperate for her help. Before she could stop herself, Casey was tighter in her arms and her face was in Casey's hair. She sobbed into Casey's hair. 


	2. Help Me

Help Me

Olivia sat at her desk the next day with her hand over her forehead. She had a headache. She didn't sleep much last night. The image of Casey looking as she did last night still reeled through her mind. It was like a bad movie that she couldn't pause. Like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. She glimpsed around the precinct at the other detectives there. She looked at Fin (who was on his computer), wondering if he heard the news. She took a glance at Munch (who was sleeping at his desk with his feet up again), wondering the exact same thing. She wondered if Elliot got any sleep. Did it affect him as much as it affected her? An unnoticeable tear fell from her eyes. She didn't even know she was crying.

She didn't notice Fin. He'd shut his computer once he saw Olivia staring absentmindedly at a file. He knows Olivia. She normally doesn't space out over work unless something is weighing heavily on her mind, like a difficult case where she somehow got attached to the victim. He walked over to her desk to see her eyes glossed over, tears slowly falling from them. He sat on top of her desk. He looked at her, wondering why she was crying. "Hey Liv, you okay?" asked Fin.

Olivia stood up and walked over to the opposite wall. She ran her right hand over her chocolate brown hair. She looked away, "I'm fine." She turned around and added, "tough case."

Fin looked at her in disbelief. Elliot walked in with some coffee for her. Fin walked back toward his desk, tempted to hit Munch and wake him up.

"Liv," Elliot said quietly, "go home and get some sleep."

"I went home last night, El," she admitted. "I couldn't stop seeing her like that." Elliot slid a comforting arm around her shoulder. He couldn't get it out of his head either. He wondered if Casey would come in today, asking if they caught the bastard yet.

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted again, wiping her eyes. She took a sip of coffee. Its warmth was comforting. It was like it was telling her it'll be okay when everything's wrong.

"We'll get him," he said. "There was no DNA on her but she saved the condom he used. Said he left it next to her in the alley." This sounded suspicious to Olivia, but she agreed to let the DNA run through for a couple of days. She needed to find out who did this to Casey. Olivia was willing to do all she could to catch him.

_Casey, _she thought to herself, _why did this have to happen to you?

* * *

_Casey stirred in her sleep. She could hear that same gruff voice in her head. She usually dismissed things like this, like the time when she heard Elliot and Olivia screaming at her not to lie to the judge and realized it was all in her head. But this time, it was real. It was like she was reliving the entire thing. _PTSD_, she thought to herself, _it's just PTSD. _Olivia would understand this feeling. She was sexually assaulted undercover. She just needed a shoulder to lean on. Olivia would be able to reassure her with it being real. _No, I don't want to cause them any more pain than I already did. _She fell back asleep. She had the same nightmare again. He said the same things that he said in her first one._  
_

"You're a filthy, dirty whore!" the man said to her. She tossed and turned in fright. "You're a filthy, dirty whore! You're a filthy, dirty whore!"

"SHUT UP!" she screamed out loud, waking up in an instant. She shook in fright. She hyperventilated for a little while. "It was a dream," she whispered to herself, "It was only a dream."

Her buzzer rang. She hesitated getting up to answer it. It rang again. She hurried to the door, hoping she could tell him to go away. _He found out where I live, _she thought in fright, _he found out where I live. _She reached the door and it rang again. After it rang, the speaker came on. "Casey?" asked a familiar voice, "it's Liv. Let me up!" Casey felt a wave of relief wash over her as she reached up and pressed the admission button.

* * *

Olivia sat on Casey's couch while Casey made coffee. "What are you doing here?" asked Casey.

"Not sleeping," said Olivia. Casey looked puzzled. "I can't sleep, Case." Casey stared at her with curiosity. "I can't get this case off my mind. You, the rape, everything falling on top of me." She placed her forehead on top of her hands. Tears formed in her eyes again. This time, Casey was the one that was comforting. She rubbed Olivia's shoulder.

"What happened undercover?" asked Casey. Olivia looked up.

"You're asking that now?" asked Olivia, "I thought you already knew." Casey shook her head.

"How did we get that son-of-a-bitch?" asked Casey.

"I knew what to look for," admitted Olivia. "I was assaulted, but not raped." _Thank God,_ she added in her head.

Casey felt, somehow, that Olivia wanted to tell her something. "We sent in the condom. DNA results should come back in about a week."

Casey looked at Olivia in disbelief. She had a feeling that wasn't what she wanted. "What did you really come here for, Liv?" asked Casey.

"I wanted to make sure you're okay," said Olivia. "Any PTSD?"

"Some," admitted Casey. "I can't sleep, either. I just woke up... from a nightmare and I heard... I heard him call me a filty, dirty whore again." Tears streamed from Casey's eyes. "I'm glad I requested you guys."

"Why?" asked Olivia.

"I know I have the best on this case," said Casey. Olivia clasped Casey's hand. That made her feel better, knowing that she had people she could trust. Knowing that once this was solved, it would be with the right people in the right place.


	3. Rescue Me

A/N: I thought that it would be a good idea to see what Casey's dreaming to add suspense and more drama to this story.

A/N 2: This may take me a while to finish. My summer job and other things are taking up my life right now, so the next chapter may be up soon but be patient please. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

_

* * *

_

Rescue Me

_She sprinted down an alleyway. She couldn't find anybody. She couldn't cry out to anybody. She was alone. She was being chased by a man. He was behind her. He grabbed hold of her and she tried to get away from him. Somehow, she got away and was back down the alley. She cried out, but nobody heard her. She was running away from him. He sneaked-up from behind and pushed her up against the wall. He pushed up her skirt and let himself inside her. "You're a filthy, dirty whore!" he growled in her ear. _

_"No," she pleaded, "please stop." Tears were running down her cheeks. Her heart was fiercely pumping. She was scared. She shook and heaved in heavy breaths. _

_He ignored her screams. He kept plunging deeper and deeper. "You're a filthy, dirty whore!" _

_"Stop!" she screamed again._

_"You're a filthy, dirty whore!" he screamed one last time. He finished. She began to run again, but he hit her over the head with a block of wood. She blacked out._

Casey woke up in a cold sweat, panting. She clutched her chest. She was tired, but wide awake. She tried to fall back asleep, but she knew that the nightmare would resurface. She trudged to the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face, and crawled back into bed. She laid there, wide awake. She couldn't sleep the rest of the night._  
_

_

* * *

_

Alex was pacing in her office. She wanted to figure out this case. She paced back and forth, back and forth, but the stress on her shoulders just kept piling up. She knew how much Casey means to the SVU team, but she can't seem to wrap her head around the case. She was wondering why the used condom was left right next to her. It was almost as if the perp _wanted _her to find the his DNA. It didn't make any sense. Not to her. It was just convenient. Almost _too _convenient. It was weird. A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," ordered Alex. Judge Elizabeth Donnelly entered the room and sat down. Alex resumed her pacing. After a minute of silence, Donnelly was sickened by the constant back and forth movements of Alex in her office.

"Are you going to calm down?" asked Liz.

"Liz, I have a case that is really bugging me," confessed Alex, "so I don't have time for a friendly chit-chat." Liz stared and Alex kept her pacing, almost speeding up.

"Looks as if you have a tough one," she agreed. "You're pacing." Alex paused.

"The evidence is a little _too _convenient," said Alex. Liz gave a skeptical look. Liz thought that if the evidence was convenient that it was going to be an easy case.

"I don't see a problem," said Liz.

Alex stopped pacing. She cocked her head to the side and began to talk again. "The victim found his condom right next to her in a empty alley. She didn't see his face but can remember his voice." She pondered for a moment. "If we get a hit off the DNA, we probably have the wrong guy. I don't know what to say to the SVU team. Or the victim." She paused, then said, "the team is pretty jumpy. The victim's an old friend of theirs and helped me get justice for my attempted murder."

Liz looked confused. "Who's the victim?" she asked.

"Former ADA Casey Novak," said Alex.

Liz's mouth dropped open. "Oh my God!" she whispered. "Is she okay?"

"According to Benson, she's got severe PTSD," said Alex.

"Wow Casey," she whispered sadly, "one horrible event to another." She personally wanted Casey to have a long suspension- about a year- without pay, but the bar association wouldn't hear of it. "Jesus Casey."

* * *

_She was back in the alley. She couldn't escape him. Couldn't run or fight. She didn't want him to come. All she could do was run. She just wanted to get away from him. No matter what she did, she couldn't run faster. No matter how fast she was, it wasn't fast enough._

_She saw a familiar face in the alley. It was a body. A woman's body. Another one of his victims? No, she couldn't have been. It was someone she knew. A friend. "Olivia?" she asked. "Olivia!" she screamed, realizing it was her detective friend. "No," she whispered, "no, no, no. Olivia, wake up. Please, wake up." Tears poured down her cheeks faster than she could wipe them away. She leaned down over her body. Olivia looked dead, felt dead, and seemed dead. She placed her forehead on top of Olivia's, crying into her brown hair. The red head turned around, and her rapist darted behind her, pushing her up against the brick of the nearest building. She screamed. He growled "you're a filthy, dirty whore!" in her ear. She didn't respond until a few seconds later._

_"No, stop!" she pleaded, "please stop!" The bastard ignored her. He pushed up her skirt and forced himself inside her. _

_"You're a filthy, dirty whore!" he snarled again. She cried, repeating the word "no." He pulled her skirt down. He was finished. She ran back to the side of her friend's body. He came up behind her and hit her over the head with a wooden board. She blacked out.  
_

Casey woke up in a cold sweat. This time, she got up, cleaned her face, brushed her teeth, threw on jeans and a sweatshirt, and left her apartment building. She hopped on her bike and rode off into the night, wanting to know if Olivia was still alive or not. Wanting to know if it was just a dream._  
_

_

* * *

_

Casey was waiting at the door of Olivia's apartment building. She was waiting for her answer. When she buzzed in Casey after admitting who it was, she walked up the stairs and paced up and down the area outside her apartment door. Olivia answered the door. "Casey," she breathed with surprise, "come in." Casey stumbled in looking winded. She road her bike to the other side of Manhattan_. _She sat down on the couch while Olivia went into the kitchen to get her some water. She gulped it down and felt a little better.

Olivia moved closer. Once Casey calmed down, she started to speak. "I'm having nightmares, Liv," confessed Casey.

Olivia smiled weakly. "That's normal, Case," said Olivia truthfully. "You can get counseling for those."

"No, Liv," said Casey. Olivia looked a little frustrated. "I'm not talking about the counseling. That I'll get, but I wanted to make sure you're okay."

Olivia looked a little surprised. "I'm fine, Casey," said Olivia, taken aback. She wasn't expecting the victim to ask the detective if _she _was okay. She smiled a little bit at Casey. Casey stood up.

"Any weird calls?" asked Casey.

"No," responded Olivia.

"Feel like anyone's following you?" asked Casey.

"Once again, _no,_" said Olivia. A wave of relief fell over Casey. She walked to the end of the room.

She could feel some tears falling from her eyes again. "You were in my dream tonight."

"What?" asked Olivia incredulously.

"I was running down the alley where I was raped trying to get away from my rapist, like in any other dream I've been having for these two weeks," she began, speaking rapidly, "and this time, I saw you lying there in the alley, dead."

"Oh my God, Casey," Olivia whispered. "He really got to you."

"That's why I came over," explained Casey. "I wanted to make sure that you're all right."

"I'm fine," Olivia assured Casey, "nothing happened. I promise you that." Casey turned around and wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck. A surprised look fell across Olivia's face.

"How can you be so sure?" asked Casey, still wondering if Olivia was real or not.

"Because I'm right here," she whispered. Still surprised at Casey's actions, she wrapped her arms around the small of her back. Olivia gradually eased into the sudden embrace, holding Casey until she calmed down. "Shhh," said Olivia, "It's okay, Case, it's okay." In her head, she was thinking, _just what the hell did he do to you?_ Casey's tears fell on Olivia's right shoulder, while Olivia cradled her gently. It was almost as if she was saving Casey from breaking. She didn't want Casey to break. Not because she was a vital part of the case, but because she was her friend. She wanted to save her and hoped to God that the DNA evidence would be back soon.


	4. Fight For Me

Fight For Me

Fin and Munch walked into the captain's office. "You wanted to see us?" asked Fin.

"Yeah," responded Cragen. He motioned for them to sit down and they obeyed. They moved into the chairs. Munch crossed his legs.

"What's up?" asked Munch. Cragen gave them a solemn look like he was bringing bad news. That was what he had for them.

"We have some DNA results back," he said, giving them the papers. "A Mr. Martin Bradley. He was arrested for soliciting a prostitute and looks like he's back in the game." The two detectives looked confused.

"There's someone soliciting prostitutes?" asked Munch, "I thought that Bill Clinton took that to a whole new level." Fin smirked.

"I don't think Clinton solicited prostitutes," said Fin, trying hard not to laugh. Cragen, however, did not look amused.

"You mean you don't know?" asked Cragen.

"Know what?" asked Fin. He wondered if it was something to do with the case Olivia was crying over earlier in the week.

Cragen stormed out into the precinct, pissed. "Benson, Stabler!" he called in anger, "my office!"

Olivia and Elliot stumbled in like frightened children. Olivia hid behind Elliot and Elliot slumped his shoulders. Cragen looked at the both of them with incredulous looks. "What the hell is going on?" asked Cragen.

"You first," said Elliot, prying Olivia's fingers from his shoulder to keep her from hiding.

Olivia clung back on whispering, "no, you go first."

"Oh for crying out loud," groaned Cragen angrily. Munch and Fin looked annoyed.

"Someone just _say _something," ordered Fin. Olivia stepped in front of her partner.

"Be a man," she smirked. Elliot glowered. She smiled at the fact that she succeeded pissing him off.

"_You _hid behind _me_," Elliot stammered like a child. Cragen glared at the both of them to shut up.

"Someone tell Fin and Munch about the case," ordered Cragen.

"Alright," said Olivia, "alright. Casey Novak-"

"What about her?" asked Munch, interrupting Olivia with anticipation.

"I'm getting to that," said Olivia, "listen for one second, John." Munch sat back, his body filling with anticipation. Olivia continued, "Tuesday night, Elliot and I were called into Mercy General. We had another rape victim. This victim, however, made a specific request for us. When we got there, we saw why the victim asked for us. The victim's Casey Novak." Fin looked at Olivia with sudden realization. He realized why Olivia was crying on Wednesday. Casey was their friend. He knew that they would do anything to save her.

"We'll pick 'im up," said Fin. Olivia and Elliot left with them.

* * *

Fin and Munch walked to a small diner near the precinct where Martin Bradley was reported to be working. They found him sitting at the cash register. He was reading a magazine. It was porn- a parole violation. They found it open in plain view of the restaurant patrons. Fin and Munch shook their heads. "Is that the newest edition of Penthouse?" asked Fin. Bradley looked up.

"Yeah," said Bradley. Munch and Fin flashed their badges.

"Aware that this is a parole violation?" asked Munch. He nodded. "Good, then you don't mind if we arrest you for a parole violation."

"Hey," he pleaded, "a guy's gotta get off."

"Yeah," agreed Munch, "just not in the same room with a woman." He motioned his head over to three women sitting together enjoying their breakfast. "And not in front of a rape victim," he added.

"What the fuck are you guys talking about?" asked Bradley. Fin held up a picture.

"This is Casey Novak," said Fin, "and you chased her into an alley and raped her."

He shook his head, "I was home alone."

"Anti-alibi," said Munch, "I just hope you can keep it down while you're being questioned by a female detective."

"You have the wrong guy," said Bradley. "I've never seen her before!"

"That's what they all say," said Fin, "and _you_ have the right to remain silent." He read Bradley his rights as they walked back to the car.

* * *

Alex watched Olivia ask him questions. After denying everything so many times, Bradley lawyered up and Olivia left the room. "What the hell was that?" asked Alex.

"I don't know," said Olivia, "I offered him opportunities to confess. He wouldn't take it."

"Because he's not our guy," said Alex. Olivia looked at her outraged. The DNA evidence proved everything. Why does she not take this seriously? Olivia grew pissed.

"You're going to screw up this case like you did the Nikki Sherman case," said Olivia with outrage.

Alex looked at her, almost glaring. "I have no such intentions," said Alex. "Don't you think the evidence is a little _too _convenient?"

"I think that the perp left it there on accident," said Olivia. "He never meant to get himself caught."

Alex gave her a look that said "I won't prosecute." "You will prosecute this case, Cabot!" snarled Olivia, pushing her index finger in her face. "If you don't, I'll make sure that the formal request for a new ADA goes all the way through." She took her hand down

"You wouldn't," breathed Alex.

"Try me," ordered Olivia through a smirk. "I don't give a damn if you spend your nights coming up with a case against him. You will prosecute, understand?" Alex nodded as Olivia stormed out the door. Alex huffed angrily and punched the wall hard, spraining her wrist.

* * *

Casey walked into the familiar place. She looked around the precinct. The only thing different about it was Lake not sitting there obsessing over crime scene videos. She remembered him getting arrested for murder right before her disbarrment. She'd heard news that they'd caught her rapist. Olivia didn't seem thrilled about it by the looks of it. Elliot was talking to Munch and Fin about it. Cragen was in a dispute with who looked like Alexandra Cabot. Munch and Fin looked up to see a red-headed woman watching them. They walked over to her, each of them slinging one arm around her and pushing her further into the precinct. Still looking at Olivia's angered look, she walked over to her desk. "I heard you caught him," she said with a smile. Olivia nodded. Casey threw her arms around Olivia, then Elliot, then Munch, and then Fin. She wanted to see his face. Olivia led her into the interview room area so she could look from behind the two-way mirror. She watched him stride the room, huffing like a caged monkey. She watched him look out the window, sit down, and stand up to walk around for five minutes before his lawyer came in.

"I hope you're not questioning my client without his lawyer," said a familiar voice. It was Jason Whitaker, the lawyer who represented Gabriel Duvall in the rape case she couldn't prosecute years ago. She hated him. He was like a rash she couldn't get rid of.

"I assume your here to speak to your client," said Olivia. He nodded.

"Ms. Novak," he said, "I hope you weren't planning to speak to him without his lawyer. Wouldn't want you to violate Miranda as well."

"In case you haven't heard," said Olivia with a smirk, a protective arm around Casey's shoulder, "Casey is the victim here, not the ADA. You have a beef, go talk to Alex Cabot." He looked surprised. With one last look up and down Casey (who he just realized was in a t-shirt and jeans), he gently opened the interview room door. A chill crept up Casey's spine. Something just wasn't right about this.


	5. Try for Me

Try for Me

Casey sat in a chair that was sitting right next to Olivia's desk. Olivia sat down at her desk. Casey looked uneasy, and it was very visible, particularly to Olivia. "This feels weird," admitted Casey. Olivia looked at her with a puzzled look. "I should feel relief. Why don't I? Why do I feel like I just stood in the same room with my rapist and I felt like he was there but not caught?" Olivia looked at her with a confused look. How was that possible?

"Case, we have him," Olivia reassured her. Casey couldn't understand any of it. She couldn't understand why she just saw her rapist and know he won't be caught. Why? They're prosecuting someone else. "So, Jason Whitaker," Olivia said, taking the conversation in a new direction, "still creeping you out?"

"He's enough of a creep," she said, smiling. "Damn defense lawyers," she added with a smirk. Olivia laughed lightly. Casey smiled for the first time in days.

"So," said an uptight voice behind them, "still want to prosecute?"

"We have a case, Alex," said Olivia. "You prosecute what we give you, not try to find ways to clear him." Alex looked at her with her hands on her hips. Peering into Olivia's eyes, Alex gave Olivia a look that said "This is a bad idea." Olivia turned her head away. This made it clear that Olivia still believed that Martin Bradley was still guilty. Alex walked away.

"Bad air between you two?" asked Casey. Olivia nodded.

"She believes Bradley is innocent," said Olivia.

"Do you?" asked Casey.

"DNA evidence doesn't lie," said Olivia.

"It does sometimes," said Casey. "I remember hearing about you being framed for a murder and the DNA evidence being forged."

"Warner does more thorough DNA tests because of that," said Olivia, "and according to her, the DNA evidence wasn't fabricated." Casey gave a quick nod of understanding. She knew that Olivia was doing her best, but she couldn't fight off the thought that Bradley might be innocent. Maybe it was the lawyer talking or the victim, but she had a feeling something was being misplaced.

* * *

Jason Whitaker walked up to his office. He stared at the new case he volunteered to defend. He wanted this case. He knew that the suspect of the crime was innocent. He knew because he wanted to show up the bitch that rejected him a few years ago. "Casey Novak," he whispered, "I'll be getting my revenge. You're a filthy, dirty whore."

* * *

Alex walked through arraignment like it was no big deal except for the fact that she felt like she was putting an innocent man with a two million dollar bail. He wouldn't be able to pay it. It was a cash only bail. She didn't worry so much about it. All she was worried about was getting the right man. She was still set on getting the right perp. She walked into the holding area, but Bradley wasn't with his lawyer.

"You wanted to talk," Bradley inquired.

"I can't talk to you without a lawyer, Bradley," said Alex, "A man named Miranda changed that for all of us."

"Just hear me out," begged Bradley.

"I'm sorry," said Alex apologetically, "but I can't."

* * *

"Alex!" called a voice from behind her. Alex turned around and saw Casey run up toward her.

"Hey!" she called back, "We need to get working on your testimony. The trial's in a week."

"Okay," breathed Casey. It was times like these that Casey was grateful for people that were going to help her.

"I owe you one," nudged Alex. Casey spun her head in Alex's direction.

"Why?" asked Casey with curiosity.

"You got that bastard Connors a guilty verdict," answered Alex, "the least I can do is put the bastard that raped you behind bars. Then we're even."

"You don't _owe _me anything, Alex," responded Casey, "I wanted him in a cell more than you did." Alex flashed a smile in Casey's direction. Somehow, this trial may be a disaster.

* * *

Jason Whitaker was preparing his motions for the Defense for the motion hearing. He was in a somewhat absentminded state of mind. He was focusing almost too much on the case. He was just finding a way to discredit anything Casey Novak says. He wanted this man behind bars for his own reasons. Casey Novak was his mortal enemy; the one who led him on and then turned him down. He glanced at his desk. His files were displayed all over the place. He began preparing her questions for her testimony, forgetting about the motion to suppress the DNA, knowing he would lose it anyway.


	6. Lie for Me

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I'm writing three different stories right now and my job gets a little crazy.

* * *

Chapter Six: Lie for Me

Casey was sitting in the familiar courtroom waiting for the motion hearing. The motion that was in question here was the motion to exclude the DNA evidence found at the crime scene. Alex was going in circles with this. "Your Honor," she began, "The motion to exclude all DNA evidence is fraudulent and should be denied right here."

"The DNA is all the people have against my client," said Whitaker with a tone of intense I-know-it-all. The judge turned her gaze to Alex.

"Is this true, Alexandra?" she asked.

"Well-," began Alex, but Whitaker abruptly cut her off.

"This evidence could have fallen out of a dumpster right next to her for all we know," he argued prematurely.

"Let me finish," said Alex, "We examined the crime scene. She was twenty yards away from the nearest dumpster. The evidence was just lying there in a tied up condom." Casey shuddered the minute she heard that. "It was one foot away from her. Circumstantial evidence? I think not."

"Your honor," began Whitaker with a new argument, but the judge held up her hand.

"I've heard enough," said the judge, "the motion to exclude is denied." Alex smiled. She knew that this meant that the win would be secure.

* * *

Whitaker paced his office. _Good_, he thought, _proving my client guilty will make it harder to charge me with the alleged rape. At least we'll be safe from Casey Novak, the woman who broke my heart.

* * *

_

Casey was pacing around Alex's office. She didn't know what to do, what to say, or anything that may happen during the trial. She just wanted things like this to stop. Alex wanted this to end as well, but if Casey couldn't handle it, than there was nothing she could say or do to make her not testify. "Casey," began Alex, "you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"No," said Casey. "I spent years telling victims to face their attackers. If I don't take my own advice, then I look like a fool."

"You're not a fool," reassured Alex.

"I know that," snapped Casey. "I want to testify."

"Okay," nodded Alex. She knew that this wouldn't be a mistake. If this is what she wanted, then she can't say no. If this gives Casey closure, then closure she shall have.

* * *

Whitaker wanted to talk to Alex about a plea bargain. "No," she said pointedly. "I'm not plea bargaining."

"Why the hell not?" he asked. He wanted to look for something that will make her do this- to put him away so he gets away with anything that might tie him to the rape.

_Because I don't think he did it_, she thought to herself."Because he brutally raped Casey Novak," she said out loud. "I don't deal with people who brutally rape women."

He stared at her with anger. It just wasn't right. It wasn't right for him to get off and make no deals. He stormed back into his office. He was going to reveal himself tomorrow in front of Casey, thinking they couldn't touch him.

* * *

"Did you see the defendant?" asked Alex in court the next day.

"No," answered Casey.

"Then how did you know that it was him?"

"I woke up from an unconscious state and found a tied up condom about a foot away from me."

"Did the DNA match Mr. Bradley?"

"Yes."

"Nothing further," admitted Alex sitting down.

Whitaker got up to ask Casey questions he was formulating the first one in her mind. "You say that you didn't see the defendant's face," he said to her.

"That is correct," she admitted. Whitaker smiled.

"Did he say anything unusual to you?" asked Whitaker.

"Objection!" yelled Alex, "Relevance?"

"I'll allow it," said Liz. "Answer the question, Casey," she ordered softly. In Liz's mind, she said, _even on the witness stand, you retain composure._

"He called me a…" she hesitated. Liz and Whitaker leaned in to hear what she was about to say. "He called me a filthy, dirty whore." She began to show noticeable tears. They were beginning to run down her cheek

_Oh man, Casey_, thought Liz.

"Are you a filthy, dirty whore?" asked Whitaker.

Liz looked stunned. Alex began to stand up to object, but before she could get completely out of her seat, Liz screamed, "Sustained! Control yourself councilor!" Casey waved her comment aside. She wanted to hear this.

"What?" asked Casey.

"I said, are you a filthy, dirty whore?" Casey recognized it. He opened his mouth again. He answered for her. "You're a filthy, dirty whore!" he growled in a recognizable tone that she knew so well.

"It was you," she muttered. In the crowd, Olivia eyes shot open like there was something more amazing in the world. She stared at Casey, whose tears clouded her eyes. "You raped me. I swore that until the day I die that I would never forget that voice. You raped me."

"You act as if you know it all," observed Whitaker.

"I know my rape," breathed Casey through obvious tears. "I know that my rapist had a growl I would never forget, and you are the one who did it. Not Bradley. You. I want you arrested."

"You can't have me arrested," noted Whitaker. "Yes I did it. Yes I raped you, but only because you broke my heart. Women like you shouldn't be whole. Even after all this, you can't arrest me."

"But I can," sounded Alex from behind him. "Detective Benson," she called, noting that Olivia was at the trial.

"Yes?" asked Olivia.

"Arrest him," she ordered.

"With pleasure," smiled Olivia. She whipped out her cuffs, mirandized Whitaker, and led him out of the room and into the patrol car sitting outside.

"Court is adjourned and Mr. Bradley is cleared of all charges without prejudice," said Liz. Casey stepped down from the stand, but before she could go anywhere, Liz pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry about all of this." Easing into the embrace, Casey let her tears fall. This was a knowingly difficult thing to get over, and Whitaker never let her forget it. She knew that this wouldn't make it right, but it would help her get the much needed closure.

She never felt so at ease in her life.


	7. Pray for Me

Chapter Seven- Pray for Me

Casey paced around Alex's office while Olivia and Alex were at Whitaker's sentencing. She waited and waited. The only reason they went straight to sentencing was because the judge on the case ordered it. He confessed in open court. If Olivia, Alex, and Casey were happy, then Martin Bradley was ecstatic. She left the office for a brief moment to get some of that air that filled Hogan Place. She missed it. She missed the air that was the District Attorney's Office, but she coped well. She caught Bradley leaving. "Hey!" she called out. He took a quick glance and then moved his head back to its original position. "Look, I'm sorry about all of this-."

"This isn't your fault, Miss Novak," said Bradley. "It was a set up. It was always a set up. I was beginning to wonder why an expensive defense attorney was offering to defend me for free."

"It didn't seem like he was putting his all into the case," observed Casey.

"Well, coming from an ex-ADA," he began, "that's an accurate observation. He wanted to get away with it."

"Yeah, well, take care of yourself," she ordered, smiling. "No more porno."

"I think I learned my lesson," he smiled, entering the elevator. "Don't read porn unless you want to get charged with rape." Casey laughed and turned her heal back to where Alex and Olivia were.

* * *

Alex and Olivia were standing in the office. They waited for Casey. It seems that she stepped out for a minute to clear her head. They watched as the door opened and the redhead walked inside. Clearly, she did not expect anything to happen. "Well?" she asked. "What did he get?"

"20 to life for Rape One," said Alex proudly. Casey pumped a fist in the air, smiling again. She was safe. The streets could be walked on again. Tears of relief flowed from her eyes, and, before she knew it, she was hugging Alex and Olivia. Olivia let tears of relief run from her eyes, also. One of her very few friends just got justice, and that made her happy. "What do you say we celebrate?" Olivia and Casey gave nods of agreement as they exited the door.

* * *

They sat at a bar stool, downing a pitcher of beer and talking. They mostly got to talking about what Casey was going to do after this. Alex and Olivia already knew what was going to happen to them. Another chase, another case. Maybe something along the lines of the occasional creeper.

"What will you do, Casey?" asked Olivia with unconcealed wonder.

"I'm thinking of becoming a social worker," responded Casey. Olivia and Alex stared at her. She smiled. "What, I can't go back to helping people? This trial was the reason why I became a prosecutor in the first place." Alex smiled.

"Same here," she said. "I just didn't get disbarred," she added with a smirk.

"Hey, come on," said Olivia, "no wise cracks. I had to listen to Munch all day." The three women laughed, knowing how crazy Munch can get, especially with Fin egging him on instead of shutting him up. They had a friendly chat together, and then left. It was a good rest of the night.

* * *

After dropping Alex off at home, Olivia and Casey drove back to her apartment. They stopped and parked right in front so Olivia can get out and give a more personal good-bye. "Well, you take care of yourself," ordered Olivia.

"Ditto," responded Casey, much to Olivia's amusement. "I can't believe I might not see you again."

"You will," reassured Olivia. Casey smiled. "Social workers often work with Special Victims, as you can recall."

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, I'll see ya." Olivia began to turn around to go back home. She was tired after a long night of drinking (she drank less than the other two women). Before she could do that, Casey grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tight squeeze.

"Thanks Liv," she whispered. Olivia tightened her grip on Casey for a few minutes and then let go. "I mean that."

"I know," whispered Olivia, pulling Casey in for another hug. They said good-bye, and Olivia went home.

Sometimes friends require the attention of one's professionalism, not just their attention as a friend. Casey got that, and it made her feel more at ease. Maybe some things such as friendships are made to last, and that they were there to save her.

Olivia's car remained outside of Casey's apartment to make sure that she got inside safely (a friendly gesture from one friend to another), and Casey turned on a lamp and looked out the window. She watched Olivia pull away.

"Thank you for saving me," whispered Casey. She turned off a light and went to bed. She didn't have nightmares for the first time in weeks.


End file.
